Vapor electric apparatus.



\ VITNESS 5'- PATENTED APR. 16, 1907. a c. P. STEINMETIZ. 4 VAPOR BLEGTRIO APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED QUT.17,1904.

INVENTOIRI /3 charlesPSUeinmGCZ, v v IOQ'M 74 :fiflzty.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. CHARLES P. VSTEINMETZ, OF SOHENEOTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR To GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY,,A CORPORATION or NEW roux.

'- IAPOR ELEOTRIC APPAR ATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 16, 1907.

Application filed October 17,1904. Serialllo- 228.660.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CnARLns P. STEIN- METZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at Schenectad couhty of. Schenectad State of New Tork, have invented certaln new and useful Im rovements in Vapor Electric Apparatus, oi a specification.

Mercury arc-lamps and-similar apparatus when operated under conditions where they may be subjected to a'relatively cold surrounding atmos hereas, for example, when operating out doors in winter sometimes start with diflitzulty. In order to overcome thisdifiiculty, I provide means for preheat-' ing the lamps or other apparatus, so that in co d weather they will be able to start without difliculty.- This heating'means I make automatic, so that it will be cut out of circuit after aunoderate redetermined interval.

, The features of novelty characteristic of my invention are pointed out with particu The invention itself, however, will be better understood b reference to"-the following description, ta enin connection with the accompanying drawings, .which represent my invention as applied to-a mercury-vapor arc-lamp.

The mercury-lamp shown in the drawings v is of a well-known type and requires but a brief description. T e exhausted glass tube or envelop of the lamp is indicated at 1.

This tube is surmounted by an enlargement or bulb 2, constituting a condensing 'chamber. An'anode 3, of artificial gra bite or other suitable material, is mounte at the mouth of the upper end ofthe tube 1 and is supportedin osition by a depending wire 4,

r the'u' peren of which in the usual manner I is sea ed*through the glass of the bulb 2,.and

I constitutes a Current-leading-inconductor.

The ex osedportion of this wire 4 is surrounde by a protecting glasstube 5.

i The lower end of the tube 1 is contracted to form an extension 6'. A'body of mercury forming the cathode of the lamp fills this exsfpreads over the A oat or plunger end projecting from the surface,'a's indicated.

This upper end is hollowed out, so as tof'o'rm' a gup- After the plunger has been once subm g and h come to the surface it is fill d withmercury I p which the following is the entire cu down the plunger 7 and bvthus causing an initial are at the. lower endof the filament 8 puts-the lamp into normal operation in ,a

manner well understood by those skilled in the art.

According to vide a-heating-coil located, in addition to the starting-solenoid, about the extension 6. This heating-coil isindicated at 12 and the starting-solenoid at 13. These solenoids or coils. are representedv one inside the other. The heating-coil may be of relatively small my. presentinventioril prof conductoi: and ispreferably located next to the lamp-tube, as indicated, though, if de-'- sired, the coils may be otherwise arranged. The coils are connected in series with each other and by means of the leading-in conductor' 14 with the lamp proper. The heating- 1 coil 12 has approximately the same number of turns as the starting-coil, but is wound in the opposite direction. 'It is shunted by a resistance 15, the temperature-resistance coefficient of which is negative. This resistance I prefer to make of magnetite. The magnetiteinay be arranged in the form. of a baked stick, or itmay be in powdered form and compressed within a. tube having suitable terminal connections. A quantity of powdered mica may be mixed with the maghetite powder, if desired. This mica, among other properties, has the advantage of preventing agglomeration of the powdered magnetite and consequent permanent variation of resistance. v A

,When current 'isturned on tothelam the resistance of-theiiiagnetit member 15, eing when cold extr mely high, causes practically coil- The hea starting coil being, as already noted, wound in. opposition to each other have no resultant magnetizing effect. The heater-coil thus rapldry impartsfheat to the lam structureand takes away the undue chill, w 'ch is detrimental to the starting of the lamp. The

ICC.

passthrough'the heaterco ll and the actuating or parts adjacent tothe mercury in the lamp are thus heated up. The current traversing the filament 8 heats this filament to redness, and thus heats the upper part of the tubulai' member of the lamp.

The magnetite member 15 is so propor- -tioned that its voltagethat .is, the voltage at which it sh'ort-circuitsis slightly below the voltage consumed by the resistance of the heater-coil 12, about which it is shunted. Therefore for a short time and somewhere in the neighborhood of one-quarter of a minute or ,more the main current passes entirely through the heater-coil. By the time this period has elapsed the current, though small, which passes through the magnetite heats the latter and rapidly reduces its resistance.

until a condition is reached where the magnetite forms practically a short circuit about the heating-coil 12. The actuating or starting-solenoid 1'3, then lar ely overpowering the counter-magnetizing effect of the heatingcoil, pulls down the plunger 7, and the parts then being relieved of their chilling temperature readily starts the lamp.

The resistance of the iriagnetite element varies greatly in temperature and is very much higher near 0 Fahrenheit than in WHJII; ,S111I1II16I' weathen Therefore such a magnetite element will short-circuit the heater-coil in summer-time almost instantly or-within a second or so, but in winter will ,keep it energized for a quarter of a minute or a moderate time as is necthc coils.

and means traversed by current through the apparatus for cutting such heater out of circuit.

2. The combination of a vapor electric apparatus, a heating-coil, and a device in shunt thereto having a negative temperature-resistance coeilicient.

3'. [n a vapor electric bination of a heater-coil, an actuating or starting coil, each of which is traversed by current passing through the other, and means for practically short-circuiti'ng the heatercoil.

4. The combination of a vapor electric apparatus, a limiter/mid a shunt therefor containing magnetite.

5. The combination of a vapor electric (levice, connter-magnetizing coils one of which is of such resistance nslo serve as a heater, and means in said vapor electric device responsive to the magnetizing effect of said coils.

vice, a magnetic device having a time ele-.

ment, said magnetic device being in opera tivo relation With said armature.

apparatus, the com-- (5. The combii'iation of a vapor electric de vice, an armature associated with saulule,

. 7. The combination of a vapor electric device, an armature therefor, coils associated with said armature, and a device for temporarily eliminating tilIQ lIlflgll0i3lZlI1g act on of The combination of a vapor electric device, an armature therefor, counter-inagnetizing coils associated with said armature, one

of which coils is of such resistance as to serve as a heater, and a device having a time ele merit for practically eliminating the magnetizing action of the heater-coils.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 15th da of October, 1904.

CHA LES'P. STEINMETZ. Witnesses: HELEN ORFORD, G. C. HJOLLISTER, 

